Aiming to put the spotlight on the Kingdom’s best female entrepreneurs and designers, Cambodia’s Ultimate Lifestyle Trend (Cult) is holding a pop-up market this Saturday to mark International Women’s Day.

The next edition of Cult, titled Let’s Talk about Women and held at Phnom Penh’s Bambujaya Bilingual School, is a celebration of an international awareness day that plays an essential role in the movement for women’s rights around the globe, says Carola Krainz, a marketing consultant and owner of Cult.

Launched in 2016, Cult brings ethics-conscious brands from across Cambodia together under one roof. It is a pop-up market that gives ethical designers a platform to present their latest creations in front of a broad but curated audience.

“It is our aim to foster brands that respect the three core pillars of sustainability and contribute to Cambodia’s sustainable economic and social development and environmental protection.

“Cult is a market where people can discover and shop from the country’s best sustainable brands,” says Krainz.

But Cult is much more than just a market. It is an event designed to bring like-minded, sustainability-conscious people together. It is a networking event where people interact in workshops, storytelling events, and live performances accompanied by cool music and delicious food and beverages.

Krainz says all merchants at the event are part of the Cult mission – to promote an ethical and sustainable lifestyle with products that are consciously designed and produced with love in Cambodia.

“Local and international designers and makers who produce their products in Cambodia sustainably can showcase and sell their products at Cult markets.

“We only allow brands that produce their products in Cambodia under ethical conditions, employing local talent, good working conditions and fair wages,” says Krainz.

It is no coincidence that the event is held to mark International Women’s Day.

“Cult events are frequently tied around international awareness days, such as Fashion Revolution Day, a global movement that demands more transparency in the fashion supply chain. Our aim is to raise awareness and contribute to those global movements,” she says.

This edition of Cult features a selection of lifestyle, beauty, fashion, accessories, and culinary brands, as well as several workshops for kids and teenagers, a kids’ playground, a photo studio, storytelling, a dance performance and school tours.

“International Women’s Day is a global movement that, with the aim of achieving gender equality, puts women’s rights at its core. Let’s Talk about Women has been designed to put many of Cambodia’s best female entrepreneurs and designers at the forefront, while still including talents from the opposite sex,” she says.

Three years since its launch, Cult has become synonymous with promoting locally-made, ethical and sustainable fashion, beauty and lifestyle products.

“This is your chance to support local initiatives, discover green alternatives and chat with your favourite makers and designers,” Krainz says.

She says there are 50 confirmed vendors for the upcoming edition, and over 75 per cent of them are female-owned or co-owned.

“We are proud to have entrepreneurs from a wide range of sectors, from cosmetics, sustainable fashion, accessories, and footwear, to arts, home decor, kids’ toys and culinary brands,” says Krainz.

Entrance tickets cost $1 for Cambodians and $2 for expatriates. Entrance is free for children under 12.

Cult – Let’s talk about women will be held at Bambujaya Bilingual School, #15, Ke Nou Street (Street 9), Phnom Penh, on March 14. It starts at 1pm and ends at 8pm.

Brands interested in participating can submit a request at www.jointhecult.asia or via email [email protected].